


No I in Team

by SnowmanBiscuit



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, weird friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-10-08 09:41:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10383840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowmanBiscuit/pseuds/SnowmanBiscuit
Summary: 9S continues to wait for 2B. Meanwhile, he has to deal with living with some weird machines. Inspired by Ending I.T-rating's mostly for some coarse language and a tiny bit of violence.





	1. Waiting Game

**Author's Note:**

> Ending I is one of many joke endings you can get by being contrary to the objective or doing obviously stupid things. Here, unlike what you need to do to get Ending I, 2B will never fight Adam.

She still wasn’t here.

Her absence was starting to become irritating.

Adam had waited. He had read books from cover to back. He had tended to his city, taking human-made architectural plans from the machine database and mimicking them block by block. He had toyed with the captive YoRHa, mining 9S’ info-banks and needling him, fostering his hate and aggression.

He had even sent Eve away in order to make sure the plan went as smoothly as possible. The younger brother would return before long, complicating things further.

He had waited.

He was still waiting.

YoRHa No. 2 Type B still failed to arrive.


	2. Whoops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve is here.

Eve had been sent out on errands. Though he loathed leaving his brother’s side, he knew that this task was important to Adam and was eager to fulfill it.

However, finding books proved to be very difficult. The wear and tear of centuries, plus the constant environmental damage caused by the war, made it hard for stacks of mushed-up trees to survive. Sometimes he would get lucky and discover underground pockets, made air tight by cave-ins and collapses, where a few books lay clear of the rubble. Sometimes he would score finds by uncovering weird metal boxes with number locks – safes, he later learned they were called.

And while he was out here, why not have some fun? The YoRHa units reacted in such great ways when he leapt out at them, feet sending them crashing to the ground. Each one of them was a different experience; the older ones tended to be more experienced and therefore so much more fun. But the fight always concluded with Eve walking away, leaving broken bodies in his wake.

Surely he had enough books by now. Maybe it was time to bring the cargo back.

 

When he returned to the Copied City, something didn’t seem right. As he excitedly recounted his activities and showed his brother his finds, he noticed Adam seemed… agitated. Tense. To anyone else, it would’ve been hard to detect over his natural stoicism, but Eve could tell.

Today, the older brother had insisted on emulating yet another human dietary requirement: vegetables. Similar to fruit but somehow it seemed even more pointless, a pile of green as common as the leaves on the ground. Eve didn’t understand why they had to eat fruit, even if it was to emulate humans, but he didn’t mind. Vegetables… That was something he learned to have an opinion about.

“Eat your vegetables, brother,” Adam chided mildly, his own plate empty.

Eve allowed a moment to pass as he spooned peas into his mouth (gross). Then he ventured, “Brother?”

“Hmm?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?” Adam replied, not even looking up from his book. But the way his eyes momentarily slipped off the page told Eve the opposite.

“Something seems wrong.”

“I suppose that statement could be applied to a great many things. But in this moment, nothing has changed. Therefore, nothing is wrong.”

Eve raised an eyebrow. Oh well, if his brother really didn’t want to talk about it…

“All right, then.”

“Eat your vegetables.”


	3. Dramatic Irony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam's default solution for everything is violence.

Time had no real meaning to 9S. His consciousness wavered in and out, moments marked by Adam prodding around his skull. At least he could still access the machine’s databases when he was aware of himself. All the dredged up records of humankind’s history and knowledge proved fascinating, plus he was learning more about the machine lifeforms. Going through the records also helped him to ignore Adam, even just a little. That is, until he was forcefully disconnected from his readings. That machine bastard was trying to get to him, he knew.

Adam was _wrong_. Everything he said was wrong. Besides, machines don’t have emotions. They could never understand how 9S felt.

How he felt right now.

The others had to be looking for him, right? Command had to have approved of a request for search and rescue. 2B had to be coming for him. She was probably tracking down his black box signal right this moment.

She would be here soon.

…

…

…

****

The amount of time that had passed was just ludicrous, now.

Androids had arrived, pelting down the halls of the barren, white city, which had grown in complexity and size. Seeking the location of the Scanner, they had fought with flashing blades and bared teeth, but their efforts were laughable. Not to say that it wasn’t enjoyable – conflict was the core of human nature, after all. But they were all lacking in drive, in will, their skill dulled by duty. Their hatred was only a formality, a necessity in this war. They were hardly worth Adam’s interest.

But a certain female model YoRHa, she had sparked his curiosity. She had the conviction of her beliefs, the principle of her existence that allowed the scars of conflict to mar her heart. 9S’ devotion for 2B was laid plain in the numbers of his thoughts. Adam had witnessed firsthand their partnership, their synergy. The data collected by other machines in the network told of their shared battles, what they wouldn’t do for each other. 

How he wanted to play with the strings of their connection. If only she could see what had happened to her precious partner. Her hatred for him would be an exquisite thing to behold, as captivating and destructive as the conflagrations of a train wreck.

…The key phrase being “would be”. 

After multiple other “errands”, Eve had become sullen, sticking to Adam’s side like a burr. The older brother had spent extra time playing with the younger sibling, at least to get Eve to stop moping. While he always brightened up when they could be together, he remained wary, as though he expected to be sent away at any moment.

As for 9S, Adam had to take him down his position in the wall, relocating him to a sealed off room. His own weight was starting to work against him, worsening his injuries as gravity pulled at the protrusions impaling him. He remained offline, unconscious to the world around him in the past weeks.

Something had to be done about this impasse.

 

For the first time since the Scanner’s capture, Adam dropped his act of secrecy. With his brother at his side, he unsealed the room, allowing the artificial light to spotlight 9S’ limp body. Eve glanced into the room, then at Adam, then back into the room like a confused dog.

“Brother, why is that one still alive?”

Adam sighed. “I had planned on using him to lure his partner to us – the android 2B. But it seems that she has decided to be obtuse.”

Eve crept forwards to probe 9S with a foot, still staring at Adam questioningly. “Why? They already rejected your negotiations and they don’t want to bring the humans down from the moon.”

“Humans loved small groups of other humans so much that it wouldn’t matter who they had to hurt and kill in order to keep their loved ones safe. Sometimes even the ones they loved were not safe from their violence. As the androids are modelled after humans, I wished to observe this,” the older brother stated, which wasn’t entirely false.

“If you say so.”

“But that little android’s tardiness has become quite vexing. There’s a price to pay for negligence. Why don’t we show them, bother?”

****

9S groaned. Everything ached. A quick internal scan told him that his core functions were fine, all things considered, but his communications and data transfer protocols had been locked down. But he could still access his combat functions. That was weird.

Slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position, he forced his eyes open. The bright white of the Copied City stung. Looking down at himself, he saw that his wounds had been tended to but by no means was he completely physically operational.

A bundle of assorted piping, rebar and iron rods spilled open as it hit the floor in a cacophony of clanging. 9S looked up: those two humanoid machines were standing side by side expectantly. Despite his protesting knees, he scrambled to his feet, his heartrate accelerating.

“What the hell do you want?” he spat.

The machine with long hair – _Adam_ , 9S recalled – made a show of looking around. “Well, little android, what can you see? There is no one around except for us. Where is the help you so hoped for?”

9S tried to stop shaking, curling his hands into tight fists. “You… What did you do?!”

The machine with short hair – _Eve_ – shrugged, grinning like a loon. “We haven’t done anything. There hasn’t been anything to do.”

“No one came for you.”

“You’re lying!” 9S roared. “You killed them, didn’t you?”

Adam shook his head, a thin smile playing on his lips. “I cannot harm what isn’t physically present. It’s strange, isn’t it? By now, it’s been several weeks and not a single android has shown their face.”

9S felt cold. That much time couldn’t have passed. That was impossible.

“Your comrades don’t care about you-”

“Shut up-”

“Your comrades have forgotten you-”

“Shut up-”

“Did all the things you did for them even matter-”

“Shut up!” 

Before he even knew what he was doing, 9S swiped up the iron bars, equipping them to his combat functionalities. Metal flew in a blur, fire rising hot behind his eyes because _that wasn’t true that wasn’t true that wasn’t true._

Golden filaments swirled and dilated, like loose hair blown in the wind. 9S found himself only striking empty air. The pounding of footsteps announced Eve’s advance before his wild laugh did. The Scanner barely had enough time to turn-


	4. Fruit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How about some plant matter in these trying times?

Adam had to call off the fight, to Eve’s disappointment. A hostage was no use dead, after all. 9S lay gasping and retching for air, scarlet internal fluids bright against the white of the city.

His good mood was fast disappearing as he watched the YoRHa unit pass out from exertion. It was obvious he was of no use, but for some reason Adam continued to be swayed by the endless devotion the silly little android had for his partner. Surely she would arrive?

Until then, 9S proved doubly pointless: he’d failed to summon 2B and he couldn’t be killed either.

What an unbelievable disappointment.

****

When 9S came to, he found himself in a familiar predicament. Once again, his wounds had received inadequate attention and he was still trapped within the bleached walls of the artificial city. Warily he paced the perimeter of his current location: a small, bare white room with a barred entrance.

Come on, think, he had to think of something. What should he do? What could he do? His communication protocols were still disabled and he couldn’t access any combat functions anymore. It didn’t take much data crunching to come to the conclusion that he was completely screwed.

A snapping noise, followed by crunching, interrupted his train of thought. Turning, he saw Eve sitting outside, putting some sort of plant matter into his mouth. The machine wasn’t doing anything, just… watching.

For the love of-

“Why don’t you just kill me already?” 9S inquired sourly, thudding his forehead against the wall.

“Brother doesn’t want to do that.”

“Then what the hell does he want from me?”

“The other android, the one who’s usually with you – I think it was 2B? Brother wants her to come after you so he can study her.”

9S struck the bars of his confinement so forcefully warning messages appeared in his interface. “Don’t you _dare_ go near 2B. I swear if you do anything-”

“It’s not like we could,” Eve interrupted with a mouth half full, as nonchalant as ever. “She hasn’t showed up at all.”

“She will show up and she’s going to kick your asses.”

“Sure. I mean, that’s what brother wants.”

The Scanner slumped onto the ground. Talking to this nutcase was impossible. 2B was coming, he knew she was. It would only be a matter of time.

Meanwhile, he still had this weirdo to deal with. At first, he tried to ignore the younger brother, but the nagging inquisitiveness inherent to Scanner models began to wear on him. While he was here, he should gather intel on the machines, right?

“…What are you doing?”

“Eating?”

“Why?”

“Well, humans had to eat too, right? Brother said that humans gained intelligence from eating fruit.”

But machines don’t need to eat? This was getting more and more ridiculous. “No, I’m pretty sure that’s not how that worked.”

Eve looked at 9S like he was speaking another language. “What do you mean?”

“Humans had to eat to live,” 9S explained, exasperated. “To learn, you need to do research and studies, collect evidence and all that. Eating doesn’t just make you smarter.”

“But humans had to eat in order to do all that.”

“Yeah, that’s what I just said.”

“So in a way, eating fruit does help make them smarter,” Eve said, looking way too pleased with himself.

9S was about to argue but… when you look at it like that, Eve kind of had a point. _I can’t believe I’m conceding to a machine_ , he grumbled internally. 

“What, have you never eaten?”

“Sure I have,” he retorted, but just thinking about the dinners he’d shared with the Operators and his comrades, back home on the Bunker, made his chest constrict. It wasn’t like androids needed to eat either, and it wasn’t really “eating” in a traditional sense since most of the food was a fabricated imitation. But even just being able to share short moments of calm with everyone was something he’d come to treasure. Eating was also one of the few links they still had to their human creators.

Homesickness stabbed like a cruel knife in his stomach. Suddenly, the cage felt too empty. 9S quickly turned away, in case that damned machine noticed anything, adding, “Not that it’s any of your business.”

Eve was quiet for a moment, and then he stuck his hand through the bars, holding something. 9S identified the object as a product from a tree; an apple like the one Eve was eating. How many of these did he have?

“What now?”

“I don’t see the point in eating but being able to do anything with my brother makes anything better. I don’t know. Does it mean anything to you? Do you miss eating?”

What was he going on about now? The YoRHa unit slapped the apple away, snapping, “I don’t want anything from you, you machine.”

To his surprise, Eve just nodded, stood and left. 

9S honestly didn’t know what to think of all. At least he was alone now.

Trying to self-hack proved to be fruitless and frustrating. That Adam guy really knew how to keep things under wraps. He barely had any wiggle room. This was something he was going to have to work at for a while.

After poking around his internal processes, he found that he could still access the machine database. As much as it rankled him to be stuck here, he couldn’t help but be delighted by the availability of this well of knowledge. For a time, he tried to ignore his current predicament by going through files upon files, documents, all sort of media. But even his curiosity could only keep him occupied for so long. Even when he was by himself in the Bunker, there was always something else to do.

It was so _boring_.

He glanced at the apple, which had tumbled into a corner. After some thought, and with great reluctance, he retrieved the plant. He’d seen fruit growing in the environment as he travelled with 2B. What was it like, to eat them as humans once did, he had wondered. 2B had been disapproving of the idea.

“It’s a waste of time,” she had said. “Androids don’t need to eat. Eating organic matter would just complicate maintenance anyways.”

He smiled wistfully at the memory. Well, he supposed he may as well try now, seeing as there was nothing else to do.

The first thing he noticed as he bit into the fruit was its high water content. It was wet and weirdly crunchy, though not in a gross way. To be honest, it wasn’t bad at all - quietly sweet with a pleasing texture. 9S thought that maybe, if he tried other fruits, he might like them too.

He also decided that it was going to be a long wait.


	5. 9S' Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9S remembers he has supplies.

After multiple fitful attempts at sleeping, self-hacking and analyzing the machine database, 9S took to pacing around his cell, trying to find vulnerabilities. The bars of the entrance didn’t so much as rattle as he slammed his foot into them. He would self-destruct in a heartbeat if it meant being able to get out of this place, but that stupid bespectacled asshole had shut down just about every non-essential function. 

At least Adam had lost interest in nosing through his thoughts and personal data. That was one comfort.

9S continued testing the bars, a half-hearted idea forming in his mind. Backing to the opposite wall, he took a deep breath and then charged at the entrance, forcing himself to go as fast as possible. The only thing the Scanner managed to accomplish by trying to dropkick his way out was jar his injuries. The bars remained as immovable as ever.

Well, it was worth a shot.

The breath was knocked from him as he landed hard, sending another painful jolt through his body. Something solid and lumpy dug into his back.

Wait, what? What did he land on?

When he reached behind himself, he felt something long, made from some kind of firm fabric, going across his back.

His bag. He’d completely forgotten about it.

Damn, he was an idiot.

Hastily unslinging it from his shoulders, 9S was delighted to see that the contents had remained untouched – his supplies, consumables, the odd bits and pieces of things he’d collected. Maybe he could actually do some proper maintenance. Scooting to the darkest corner of his cell, he glanced around swiftly to make sure he was unobserved before getting to work.

Full repairs were out of the question. He needed to save his supplies for a rainy day – who knew when he’d be able to access more. It was also best if he didn’t do anything that would encourage Adam, since he really didn’t favour getting kicked around again. So the bloodstains were going to have to stay, to his discomfort.

He examined the tears in his coat as he readjusted his clothes. As grungy as he must seem, he felt a lot better than he looked. Being able to move normally without his injuries reminding him of their presence was a definite plus.

The loud thud of something landing sounded outside, followed by “What’re you doing?”

As a knee-jerk reaction, 9S ended up throwing his bag across the room, spilling the contents. Eve watched with mild interest. Angry at himself for being caught off-guard, he snarled, “God dammit, would you stop! Leave me alone!”

“What’s this?” Eve asked as he examined the objects scattered on the ground. 

Between the medical items and raw materials, various little trinkets had escaped the bag: stones speckled and banded with colourful minerals, a length of faded ribbon, fragments of petrified wood, a spinning top made from stone. 9S recalled that he’d received that from someone in Pascal’s village. Eve selected a candy tin that had landed near the bars. 

“Hey, don’t touch that!” 9S hastily shuffled his belongings away from the entrance using a foot while trying to reach through the bars. Eve simply evaded his flailing hand, studying the insect husk nestled inside the tin.

“Where do you find all this stuff?”

“What, rocks? Cicada shells? They’re everywhere. Don’t tell me you’ve never found a rock before.”

“I have but I haven’t seen ones that look like those ones.” Eve turned the husk in his hand, fingers tracing the bumps. “You can find these everywhere? I never noticed.”

9S snorted. Of course he wouldn’t notice. “I’m a Scanner model YoRHa unit. We’re good at that kind of stuff.”

It was a part of a Scanner’s job to observe, analyze the land and compile data. They had to have a keen eye for detail and attentiveness to the easily-missed, by design and by nature. Any aspect of the environment, from the tracks in the dirt to the distant rumble of battle, was data waiting to be interpreted into information, which could then be transformed into meaningful knowledge. 

But 9S took things a bit further. The things he noticed he couldn’t help but take interest in, even if it didn’t contribute to anything. Sure, it might all just be worthless junk at the end of the day, and take up more bag space than it was worth. Nonetheless, finding bits of ribbon or being gifted a simple toy was like finding a flower blooming among the ruins and ashes of the ancient cities. It was nice to know that simple, little things had managed to slip between the cracks and thrive despite the endless wars and destruction. It was important to hold onto these small things.

Even machines had certain objects they protected fiercely. Did Eve have anything he wished to hold onto? Such matters have probably never occurred to him.

Eve held out the bug husk, enclosed safely in its tin, in a way that was more like he was making an invitation than returning it. “The, can you tell me about cicadas? Why is it only a shell? Where did the rest of it go?”

“How should I know?” the android retorted, plucking up the candy tin and stuffing it back into his bag with the rest of his belongings. “It could be anywhere. Bugs molt all the time.”

“Why?”

“Their hard carapaces stop them from growing bigger, so they have to get rid of it. They’ll be really soft and vulnerable after they do, but they’ll grow a new shell eventually. Have you seriously never seen a cicada? They’re so easy to find! They make a loud noise from vibrating tymbals. Sure, they’re not as widespread as they used to be but you’d have to be an idiot to miss them. Also…”


	6. Amusement Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve wants to go to the amusement park. 9S is there too, with different intentions.

Eve had been acting oddly, and this was besides the appalled daze he had fallen into after Adam had explained the wonders of the birds and the bees, and the results of that process. 

It was obvious that the younger brother enjoyed a good fight, be his opponent android or overzealous machine. There would be many times where he would dash off and engage with the closest viable target. How excitable he was, especially when Adam was present to fight alongside him. But lately he’d been content to just watch the YoRHa from afar. He had seemed almost thoughtful, an unusual attribute to be sure.

Eve had also been dragging Adam around, wanting to show off new things he learned about. Not that Adam minded – Eve could do what he wanted – but the older brother couldn’t help but note how unfamiliar it was to see Eve being so eager to learn. Normally he would just be content to listen to Adam or to do as he did.

The captive YoRHa was most likely to blame. Adam knew that Eve had been visiting 9S but hadn’t thought much of it. It wasn’t like 9S was a threat or anything. But, as the older brother was fast learning, Eve tended to be both predictable and unpredictable at the same time: when asked to do something, he would obey without question but he didn’t always use the most obvious or straightforward method. He committed himself to Adam’s words and thoughts wholeheartedly, and yet he was still impressionable to other influences.

Adam considered this puzzle as he dragged a clothing iron across one of his shirts, a hiss of steam escaping as he worked. When the fabric became free of creases, he reached under the table with it. Eve, sitting at his brother’s feet with a stack of clothes hangers, took the shirt and draped it over his head, enjoying the lingering warmth from the iron. It was hard to see him from behind the curtain of dress shirts and pants hanging from the table.

“Brother, ironing is kind of pointless, isn’t it? The clothes will just wrinkle up again when you put it on.”

“Humans highly valued their appearances. Even something as slight as a crumpled shirt was considered a sign of sloppiness. The heat and water helps loosen the intermolecular bonds, while the weight smooths out the cloth. So you see, brother, while it is only a temporary solution, ironing has lasting effects.”

Eve transferred the now cooled shirt to a hanger, which he hooked to the tabletop. “I didn’t think you thought much about how you looked, brother. Wasn’t there a machine like that, the one that wore red cloth? It was always going on about “beauty”.”

“Don’t compare me to that thing,” Adam replied frostily. “Wanting to be presentable is different from self-absorption.”

With the ironing done, Eve finally crawled out from under the table. “It seems like a lot of work either way.”

“You should try wearing a shirt sometimes, brother.”

“You said I didn’t have to!”

“Well, no, but it’s not necessarily proper…” Adam let himself trail off. He didn’t want to have this conversation again. There was nothing he could do to get his brother to see the point of clothes. Instead, he asked, “What do you want to do today?”

Eve brightened up. “I found this place in the forest that’s really good. It has a lot of hiding places and a big clearing to run in. I can show you where it is.”

“Certainly.”

Golden threads swirled around them as, joining hands, they prepared to depart. Adam let Eve pull him to the desired destination, their travel speed faster than any vehicle that crossed the land. When the threads dissipated, the two machines found themselves in the aforementioned clearing. The trees stood verdant and calm, hardly touched by a stray breeze. Birds sang around them as other animals went about their business in the sun-dappled undergrowth.

Adam turn towards Eve, to see what he wanted to do, only to find him distracted, his head craned upwards. In the distant sky, blossoms of colour and smoke unfurled, marked by the belayed clap of white noise. Firework after firework erupted, dispersing clouds and sending wildlife scattering.

Eve appeared thoughtful again. “Brother, we should go to the amusement park.”

“I must decline. That place is much too loud.”

“Yeah, all the singing and fireworks can be really noisy.”

“That was not what I meant, but yes, it is.” Adam noted his brother’s disappointed face and added, “If you really want to go, you can go by yourself.”

“But I want to go with you.”

No matter how he tried to analyze the proposal, Adam couldn’t find a benefit to visit the amusement park. There was nothing there to learn that he didn’t already know – the other machines had already dug up numerous records of entertainment facilities, which were easily accessible in the network. It hadn’t been hard to fish up more information, and while interesting, it didn’t give further insight towards human nature. It was a place of excess and materiality and honestly, weren’t those traits just inherent in humans? Why waste time doing something that can be done anywhere?

Eve, sensing that the older brother couldn’t be persuaded, shrugged dejectedly. Then, slightly hesitantly, he asked, “If you don’t want to come, can I bring the android 9S with me?”

Adam looked up sharply at this. Eve scuffed at the dirt, looking like a misbehaving child caught in the act.

“…Why would you want to bring the android?”

“Oh, well, it’s just that 9S was telling me about the amusement park earlier. He and his partner went there before, to kill the machine that wore red. Did you know that humans liked riding intentionally dangerous equipment for fun? Even when people died, they kept doing it.”

“The roller coaster,” Adam guessed, nodding to encourage Eve to continue.

“So I thought that, since he’s been there before, we could go together. He could show me around. But I know you don’t want him going outside.”

So that’s what the YoRHa was planning. It was a flimsy scheme to be sure, and definitely desperate.

“Brother, did the android explicitly ask to be taken with you?”

Eve was staring pointedly at the fireworks. “No.”

Hiding things – add that to the list of worrisome things. And not only that, but Eve was knowingly doing something he thought his brother wouldn’t approve of. Adam decided they were going to have a talk later. As for the situation at hand, perhaps there was potential for an opportunity.

“It’s all right brother, I’m not angry. In fact, your suggestion is a good one.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Allowing 9S to come with you would allow them to be spotted by their comrades. I’m sure 2B and the others would like to know that her partner is still alive. Do you see?”

Nodding enthusiastically, Eve pressed, “So I can go? I can take him with me?”

“Of course. Just keep a close eye on him, all right?”

“I will! Don’t worry.” The younger brother beamed, now visibly relaxed. “Let’s play first, and then I’ll go.”

**** 

9S couldn’t believe that his plan actually worked, though he was beginning to regret even making the suggestion.

Eve, taking his new responsibility very seriously, had hunted down all the ropes, wires and cords he could get his hands on. With his arms bound behind him, 9S couldn’t so much as twitch a finger, his entire torso wrapped up and secured with complicated knots. Eve kept a hold on a trailing end, and 9S couldn’t help but think of the pictures of “kid leashes” he’d found in the machine database.

He secretly hoped that none of the other YoRHa saw him, or else he’d die of embarrassment. Especially since Eve had insisted on carrying him over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes, in order to get to the park as quickly as possible. 

The golden filaments swirled about them, and in the blink of any eye, were gone just as quickly. 9S looked around in surprise, finding that they were suddenly on the cracked path that led to the park’s front gates.

“Hey machine, how the hell does that work?”

Eve was already making his way excitedly past the arch of the broken gates. “How does what work?”

“Those threads. I saw you and your brother using them last time too.”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

Eve awkwardly attempted to shrug, jostling the android on his shoulder. “I never really thought about it. Brother could tell you.”

Hah, fat chance at that.

Eve stopped walking abruptly, gazing around with enchantment. Machines frolicked in lines, singing gaily and tossing endless showers of confetti. A larger model ran among them, its arm-cannon launching bunches of balloons into the air. Dressed in caps with bells, top hats and bowties and painted in mismatched peeling colours, the procession made a very surreal scene. The scenery flickered with changing colours as the fireworks, concussively loud at this closeness, constantly burned at the sky. 

One of the smaller machines paused on its lap around the fountain, hopping up and down as it tossed handfuls of confetti at the pair. Eve giggled, trying to catch the colourful pieces of thin metal. It marched off, chanting, “A show! A show in the castle! It’s starting soon! Don’t miss it!”

“Did you hear that, 9S? There’s a show! I don’t know what that means, but it sounds fun, right?”

9S, recalling the previous production of _Romeos and Juliets_ , had to express some reluctance. “It wasn’t that great, last time I was here…”

“We won’t know if we don’t go see.”

Making a beeline across stairs and bridges, the two entered the theater to find quite a few machines attending. They chattered to each other, some even expressing hopes that _Romeos and Juliets_ would be put on again.

The toe of 9S’ boot dug into Eve’s rib. “Hey, you can put me down now.”

Eve complied with a grimace, rubbing at his side. 9S took a few careful steps away from his handler. As if as an afterthought, Eve took hold of the trailing rope to prevent the YoRHa from going any farther. 

A machine in a floppy jester’s cap ran to the midpoint of the stage, introducing a production of the human tragedy, _Macbeth_. “When we begin, the three witches will explain a battle that has happened,” it announced before dashing out of the way.

“What’s a witch?” Eve whispered to 9S before being shushed by a nearby machine.

The curtains parted and for the most part, things seemed to be going much more smoothly this time around. The story followed a man named Macbeth receiving a prophecy from the witches, saying that he would become king. His wife, Lady Macbeth, pressures him into killing the king’s successor and any remaining heirs to make this a reality.

Here, the machine acting as Lady Macbeth stood reciting a soliloquy as her husband supposedly performed the assassination. Shortly after, Macbeth shambled on stage, holding a rusty knife.

“My husband, what the hell,” said Lady Macbeth the moment she saw him.

“Uh…” Macbeth’s head shriveled around, obviously unsure. “I have done the deed.”

“Yea, but why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there: go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood.”

“I'll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done. Look on't again I dare not.”

“Macbeth, thou art an ass and a wimp, utterly useless. Give me yon dagger, I shalt complete this.”

Lady Macbeth proceeded to bench press Macbeth and heaved him off the stage, where he lay face down for the remainder of the play. The other actors tried to take the change politely but their bewilderment over this turn of events caused the already stilted acting to become even more awkward. Lady Macbeth took to systematically murdering any potential threats with zero remorse, like the whole thing was a sunny picnic outing. 9S felt like there were some parts of the story that got skipped over.

Not that he was particularly concerned; he was starting to zone out anyways. What was happening again? Something about an army coming to take down Lady Macbeth and some guy being angry because she killed his family? So many people have died at this point it was kind of hard to keep track of it all.

Said angry guy, Macduff the Thane of Fife, infiltrated the castle to duel Lady Macbeth. After some banter and a battle that was more like a fistfight between two drunken children than a sword fight, Lady Macbeth distanced herself, waving her blade. 

“Thou losest labour: as easy mayst thou the intrenchant air with thy keen sword impress as make me bleed. Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield, to one of woman born.”

A long pause followed; so long that 9S was sure it wasn’t scripted.

“But none of us were created by humans,” Macduff finally pointed out, sounding slightly confused.

The theater went dead silent.

“I AM INVINCIBLE,” Lady Macbeth screeched, her arms flailing like a wind turbine caught in a hurricane. 

Macduff shrieked and tried to scramble away, but he didn’t get far before Lady Macbeth flung herself bodily forwards and tackled the other machine into the backstage, screaming bloody murder the entire time. As chaos erupted from behind the set, the curtains hastily fell and the machine that had introduced the play hurried forwards to evacuate everyone. The audience filed out like nothing was wrong, expressing enjoyment or confusion.

“I liked that, that was good,” Eve said with a laugh as the backdraft from an explosion blew across their backs.

9S didn’t know what to say and for the most part, didn’t want anything to do with it. 

Away from the destruction and out in the open air again, 9S took a slow, deep breath, savouring the breeze’s caress. How long had it been since he’d last been outside? He didn’t want to think about it. He took one last breath and sighed, turning to see what else the day had in store for him – only to find Eve talking to a machine and pointing to the balloons it held.

Eve had let go of the rope. He was completely distracted.

9S’ heartbeat caught for a moment.

Before he had any time to start second-guessing himself, he began sidling away from the machines. Careful quiet steps turned into a fast walk, which transformed into a jog. He sped down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, trying not to fall. Taking a moment to calm down and make sure he wasn’t being followed, 9S made haste across the bridge.

The path to the front entrance would be too obvious. He would have to take a more convoluted route to throw off Eve, and then loop back to the exit. With this in mind, he veered in a narrower side path, seeking the shadowed, emptier alleys. Navigating the park was difficult without the use of one’s arms, and there weren’t a lot of options in sticking to ground paths. But it was all he had. He tried to be strategic about which turns he took, but with most of his functionalities inaccessible, he was sure he was just cutting a random path and making obvious errors. Every once in a while he would crouch in a dark corner, sheltered by rubble, to take in his surroundings and figure out what to do next.

Straightening up out of his latest hiding place, 9S figured he was getting close to the exit. Should he chance booking it now? But then he’d be out in the open. Maybe it would be better if he took another detour, try to find somewhere that would land him a bit closer to his goal. He was about to get on his way when something caught his attention.

He cocked his head, listening hard. It sounded distant, but he was sure that someone was calling for him. When the wind blew the right way, he became more certain. He really had to hurry.

Making his way behind buildings and over collapses, staying close to arches and trees, he could see the path to the front plaza coming into view. Just a bit further-

“9S!” 

The android flinched. That sounded too close for comfort. Hurriedly he backtracked, slipping into an alley. He focused on steadying his breathing, remaining as still as possible, as unnoticeable as possible-

“9S? There you are! I was worried for a moment.”

So much for that. Damn it, and he was so close too! Mentally cursing, 9S slowly turned around, trying to look casual. Eve came skipping down the alleyway, two balloons trailing behind him.

“I didn’t think this place would be so big or have so many machines living here. It’s actually pretty easy to get lost.” Eve laughed. “I guess even a Scanner can get lost.”

“Maybe because _someone_ is keeping my capabilities offline,” 9S hissed, plastering a smile onto his face.

Eve didn’t seem to hear, or maybe he didn’t understand. He held out the balloons. “I got these from the machine back there. They’re called balloons – they’re completely pointless! I got this blue one for you and… hmm. You can’t actually hold this, can you? Wait, hold on, what if I…”

With some careful pulling and looping, the machine managed to tie the balloon to the ropes and cord binding 9S. The balloon hovered overhead like a little blue thought bubble.

“Look, this way you won’t get lost again because I’ll be able to see you,” Eve pointed out, clearly pleased with himself.

Suppressing a groan, 9S shouldered his way back towards the alley, saying, “You wanted to see the roller coaster right? We don’t have all day.”

Eve hurried to catch up, taking hold of the trailing end. “Right, brother doesn’t want us out too long.”

9S wished the opposite was true.

 

For the both of them, this was their first time using the roller coaster for its original purpose. It seemed the machines had made some repairs to the equipment, tidying up the seats and the safety bars. 9S apprehensively perched besides Eve, unable to hold onto anything. Other machines occupied the other seats, happy that the ride was finally functioning properly. The contraption jolted into motion with an awful screech of metal and soon the coaster was careening across the tracks.

At first, 9S sat in a tense hunch, wincing at every turn and bump. But once he got used to the momentum, he forgot about his initial fears, finding the experience fascinating and even exhilarating. In absence of any danger of attack, being able to admire the scenery again was a welcome change. The view of the castle was majestic, and allowed him the opportunity to study its architecture more closely. Fireworks continued to blossom around them, so close 9S thought he would reach out and touch them if he wanted to (or could). The layout of the park below was made clear and understandable, looking like a miniature model as the roller coaster sped by from above. And what was that weird circular structure, listing at an angle near the castle? He was going to have to look that up.

9S recalled the last time he had ridden the roller coaster, when he had tried to get 2B to refer to him as ‘Nines’. Of course, it hadn’t stuck, or at least…

Maybe it was best not to think about 2B right now. This sudden churning of emotions within him didn’t agree with the momentum of the ride.

Eve was leaning forwards against the seat restraint, laughing and gazing wildly around with bright eyes, trying to take in everything. His hair fluttered in every direction, his balloon whipping about in a frenzy behind him. 9S wondered why the machine had been so fixated on the roller coaster earlier. Did he really think that it looked fun? Or maybe it was the fact that it was essentially a recreational death machine. That was part of the appeal, 9S had to admit.

What 9S couldn’t admit was that he was glad he wasn’t here alone.

At the end of the circuit, Eve insisted on going for another ride. And then another one, and maybe a few more times afterwards. Why not? When the urge to be with his brother eventually won over the urge to play at the amusement park, he called it quits with some reluctance. 9S was a bit lightheaded from the constant motion and shaky on his feet, simultaneously glad to be finally off the ride and not wanting to leave.

“Let’s come back another time,” Eve said, one hand holding the trailing rope and the other still hanging onto his balloon. It was a wonder that it had survived.

9S nodded absently in reply, wondering if his own balloon was still intact.

As they made their way to the exit, he felt a pull at his gut. Hesitation flickered within him, an uncertain flame. He wanted to dig his heels in, to do anything to avoid leaving. To go back, to have to face the truth of his current position again, he didn’t want that. But there was nothing he could do, and besides Eve would ask questions.

The hubbub of the park faded behind them as they went passed through the front gates. He paused and turned, taking one last look, engraving the scene into his memory.

Would he ever come back? Would anyone ever find him?

He wasn’t even certain of what he wanted.

9S felt a tug, which caused him to stumble backwards.

“9S, are you coming? We really need to go now.”

He sighed. “Fine, fine. Geez Eve, relax, I’m coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, this chapter turned out really long. Probably the longest in the story.


	7. Moose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for moose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all your wonderful comments and kudos! You're all amazing <3
> 
> Phew, finally finished this chapter. I didn't get much time to write lately. But I'm really surprised! I didn't expect this fic to get this much attention ;;;

“Is your brother really okay with me being out here?”

Swinging upside-down from a tree branch, Eve made an affirmative noise, like he wasn’t entirely sure but he didn’t particularly mind.

In the time following their trip to the amusement park, Adam had allowed 9S more freedom, as long as Eve was there to accompany him. Eve was thrilled at the prospect and spent a lot of time dragging the android to his favourite places. Adam, for the most part, remained distant, like 9S was some insect meant to be studied at a distance. Which was totally fine, since it meant that he stayed the hell away.

Though for some reason, sometimes Adam would insist on accompanying them when they went out. When that happened, he would only ever interact with the younger brother, not even acknowledging the YoRHa unit’s presence. He was scheming something, 9S was sure of it. There had to be a reason for that level stare he gave when he thought 9S wasn’t looking. Not that he would answer any questions, no matter how insistent the bothering.

Of course, Eve still spent the bulk of his time with Adam, which left 9S with a lot of his time in his cell, as always. At his request, he got Eve to give him some of the unused city blocks that floated around. He’d built a rectangular platform in one corner (the bed), a bigger cube near the center (the table) with a low rectangle next to it (the bench). While trying to figure out what else to do, he discovered that he could only build but not dismantle, since trying to use the cubes to get out of the cell did squat.

9S thought about the table and the little pile of books stacked atop it. Those had been shared by Eve, who had enthusiastically stated that manually reading things was the most tedious, time-consuming thing he’d ever done. But hey, at least the words go to the heart, whatever that meant.

9S thought about the page he had bookmarked. Reading manually had been a new experience, interesting and, most importantly, distracting. Something his human creators had to do. He wanted to head back and make more progress on that book.

…Did he just think about wanting to go back to his cell? The one he’s being held hostage in? The one being guarded by the enemy of humanity?

Why did he feel like his cell was so much more comfortable now?

9S shook his head, trying to clear it. What the hell is wrong with him?

Eve dropped down from the tree and then sat down besides 9S on the ground. “Something wrong?”

9S shook his head again. “I was just thinking about how nice it’d be if I had more walking space back at the City.”

“Hmm, brother might allow it. The courtyard area outside your cell is closed off.”

“Does that mean I’ll eventually be able to wander around that city of yours?”

Eve suddenly seemed uneasy. “Why would you want that?”

To map out an escape route, duh. Seriously, how has this machine not figured that out yet? 

Instead, 9S replied, “Well, I keep finding all these architectural plan of human structures in your database. The parts of the city that I can see are obviously copied from these plans. I just thought it’d be nice to be able to study them up close, that’s all.”

“I don’t think brother would like that. I am supposed to be keeping an eye on you.”

“Why doesn’t he watch me then, if he’s so worried? Besides, it’ll just be in the city. What could I possibly do?”

Eve mumbled something but 9S couldn't make out what he said. Then he pointed in a vague direction, speaking too loudly. “Hey 9S, what’s that?”

9S was about to object to the poor attempt at changing the subject when he was distracted by the rustling of low-hanging trees. A moose wandered in the cover of leaves, nose poking at the roots for things to eat.

“That’s a moose, a type of deer. Pretty big animal isn’t it?”

“Is it dangerous?” Eve asked, hesitantly stepping towards the moose.

“It can be. Try not to startle it, it can get pretty aggressive. Getting hit by those antlers is not fun.”

“You got hit by it?”

“It happens,” 9S said, replying to Eve’s alarm with a shrug. “Humans and cars used to get hit by it too. I mean, it hurts but it could be worse and it’s not like the moose minds, it’s usually fine.”

“Scary.”

“Did you know you can ride them? Humans used to ride them too.”

“Why would you want to ride something that can hit you?”

“That can apply to any vehicle, Eve.”

“Yeah, well, normal vehicles don’t try to hit you.”

9S snorted in response.

With some caution, Eve reached out to stroke the moose’s side, carefully running his fingers through its shaggy coat. 9S would’ve done the same, but Eve still insists on tying him up when they went out. The machine had become more lenient on the cord, so 9S could at least use his hands, though not his arms. It was stupid, yeah, but he wasn’t about to complain about improvements. However, he would complain when Eve did weird things, like swinging him off of the ground and seating him onto the moose’s back.

“What the hell, Eve! At least give me some warning first!” 9S snapped, trying to sound more annoyed than startled.

Eve raised a finger to his lips, gesturing to the moose, before hoisting himself up in front of 9S with some difficulty.

The moose didn’t respond aversely to the weight of two individuals settling upon it, or the mild manhandling it was being subjected to. In fact, it hardly reacted at all. Perhaps it’d gotten used to being used in this way, maybe by other YoRHa units.

Other YoRHa units…

(No, no, he shouldn’t think about it, he shouldn’t think about her.)

Patting the animal’s head, Eve twisted awkwardly to face the Scanner. “How do I make it go?”

“Tap you heels against its side. Wait, wait, wait! Hang on a minute I can’t hold on to anything, I could fall off.”

“Your hands are free.”

9S rolled his eyes beneath his visor. “You’re forgetting that hands are kind of useless without arms.”

After thinking for a moment, Eve took hold of the trailing rope end and tied it around his middle.

“Great, now we’re both going to get trampled by a moose.”

“D-don’t say things like that!”

The moose was eased into a slow trot, with 9S calling out advice and pointers from the back. Eve soon became accustomed to riding moose-back, and even seemed to be enjoying it despite his initial nervousness. 9S let the surrounding calm wash over him, focusing on the murmuring of nature, the rhythmic clopping of hooves on dirt. Moose always had this weird musky smell, but it wasn’t so bad after a while. It was kind of comforting, knowing that even with everything that was happening, life could still go on.

“Hey 9S? Are there other uses for moose aside from riding it?”

“For us, not really. For humans, it could be used for food or clothes.”

“They… wore moose?”

9S threaded his fingers through the layers of brown hair. “Well, they wore its skin and fur. I guess moose hide must be pretty warm, good to use during winter. And it can be used for a whole bunch of other stuff too.”

“Brother told me that humans wore clothes because seeing each other’s naked bodies was problematic.”

“That’s one reason. They also had to cover up in order to maintain an optimal body temperature. Too hot or too cold and they’d get sick and die.”

“Then, aren’t you warm? You’re wearing a lot.”

“I’m wearing a normal amount.”

Eve reached around to pat the android’s arms and shoulders. “Though I guess you’d need the extra padding. Scanners aren’t combat units, right? Maybe you should get some knee protection.”

9S had to admit that his knees were pretty banged up but he couldn’t agree. “Knee protection’s not going to help when you end up losing your whole leg.”

“You have a point there.”

In the comfortable silence that followed, 9S realized that the moose was beginning to travel faster. Not only that, but it was being directed down the long way back to the Copied City.

“Eve, you’re not seriously thinking about bringing the moose home, are you?”

The machine just laughed and flashed a grin over his shoulder. “I want to try something,” he said as golden threads began to manifest around them.

9S belatedly realized that he shouldn't have been worrying about falling off the moose, it was his riding partner he should’ve been worried about.

“Shit-”

****

Dusting dirt from his gloves, Adam straightened up, observing the arrangement of potted plants he had set up in the city. He had to admire humanity’s persistence in pointless leisure activities, especially if said activity required high maintenance costs. Tending to the ornamental shrubs and flowers, all of which he had carefully transplanted to each pot and planter, had been very time consuming. At another time, he would set up a flowerbed and transfer some of the plants. The remainder would be used to decorate the streets.

According to his mental calculations, Eve and the YoRHa had been gone for quite a while now. Eve had probably gotten carried away with whatever he was doing. Adam considered going out to look for him, to tell him it was time to come back.

Now, one could accuse of Adam of making either of two mistakes: that Eve couldn’t follow his instructions to not stay out for too long, or that Eve would follow his instructions in a way that he expected. Either way, he realized his mistake as the wall exploded, half a block down the street.

Blocks went flying everywhere amid the sounds of crashing and building materials collapsing in an avalanche. Huffing and stamping, the moose balked as it nearly charged into the building across the street, almost throwing its two riders off. Adam speedily tried to compose himself, fixing his glasses as he tried not to gape at the aftermath.

The android was half off the animal, only saved by a tether connecting him to the younger brother. In that rare moment, both Adam and 9S were in the same boat: frazzled, dazed and disbelieving. Eve extracted out a block that had gotten caught in the moose’s antlers.

“Brother, we’re back.”


End file.
